Bellingham, WA
Census place 5305280 · pop 93,438
Home of Western Washington University and a gateway port toward the San Juan Islands.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
44.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$627,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
18.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,053/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$66,755 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
91/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+5.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.69% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
48.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
33 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
16.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
Not measured for Bellingham: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Bellingham, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Bellingham scores 49/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is physical inactivity and its weakest is homeownership. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Bellingham, WA expensive to live in?
- Bellingham has a median home value of $627,500 and typical rent around $2,053/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Bellingham, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (44.6%) — 8/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Bellingham, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is physical inactivity (16.6%) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Western Washington University and a gateway port toward the San Juan Islands.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.